An early start from Reykjavik at 4am but even leaving Iceland is easy with self check in for people and baggage meaning the queues were for the masses.

We arrived into central Birmingham and found the 'quaint' Britannia Hotel without any trouble. It is rather tired and probably a caricature of a British hotel except the shower is great.

Birmingham central has a huge shopping and market area, the Bullring, and the requisite Victoria Square, town hall and impressive church. However it was all pleasant enough for a stroll and people seemed quite normal!

We found our way to the canal where we spent an hour or so doing research - that is drinking a local beer and watching the locals navigate canal boats through a channel that was about 6 inches wider than the boat itself. I'm not sure that we convinced ourselves that we would have mastered that in two weeks time but we shall soon find out....